Guns | War History

5.56 vs 7.62: Which is the Better Long Distance Round?

Hand loading a magazine + Table lined with 7.62 x 51 mm NATO rounds

5.56 x 45 mm vs 7.62 x 39 mm; when it comes to ammunition, these two cartridges are among the most prolific and well-known. They’re…

Swiss K31 Rifle: This Straight Pull, Bolt Action Rifle From WW2 Is Now a Popular Collector’s Item

Swiss K31 rifles lined up against a wall

The Schmidt-Rubin Karabiner Modell 1931, better known as the Swiss K31 rifle, was the standard-issue firearm for the Swiss Armed Forces for decades. Widely considered…

M240: The Machine Gun Loved By Both Marines and the US Army

Todd Neikirk
Seabee firing an M240B mounted atop a Humvee

In 1884, the Maxim gun was created, forever changing warfare. Over the subsequent 100 years, the idea of the machine gun was continuously improved. Some…

The MP 40 Was Widely Used By German Soldiers During World War II

Todd Neikirk
MP 40 being held up in front of another firearm

The early 20th century saw two major wars fought within only a few decades, and since most of the world’s powers were taking part, the…

The M134 Minigun Was Designed for Helicopter Crews in the Vietnam War

Rosemary Giles
Door gunner manning an M134 Minigun from a Chinook helicopter

With an impressive legacy of roughly 60 years of service, the M134 Minigun was created in 1960 for use by the US military in Vietnam.…

Glock 19: One of America’s Most Popular Firearms

Todd Neikirk
US Air Force pararescueman aiming a Glock 19

While the “Glock” name has become iconic in the world of firearms, the brand only released its first pistol, the Glock 17, in 1982. The…

Carcano: The Italian Firearm That Has Been Completely Forgotten By History

Lee Harvey Oswald holding his Carcano rifle and a newspaper in his backyard + John F. and Jacqueline Kennedy riding in a car with Texas Governor John Connally and his wife, Nellie Brill

On a sunny November day in Dallas, Texas, Lee Harvey Oswald leaned out the sixth-floor window of the Texas School Book Depository and aimed his…

Grease Gun: The US Military’s Longest-Serving Submachine Weapon

Infantryman aiming an M3 "Grease Gun"

When the lightweight and cheap US Submachine Gun, Cal. 45, M3 was introduced into service in 1944, it was intended for use across all theaters…

The M1 Garand was ‘The Greatest Battle Implement Ever Devised’

Rosemary Giles
Two soldiers aiming their M1 Garands

Of the many guns to see combat during the Second World War, the M1 Garand was the first standard issue autoloading rifle used by the…

The Ukrainian Military Has Repurposed the Soviet DShK as a Shoulder-Fired Infantry Weapon

The Russian-produced DShK is among the longest-serving machine guns still in use today. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the Ukrainian military found itself…

M1919 Browning: An Innovative and Revolutionary Firearm

Gunner manning an M1919 Browning

The M1919 Browning machine gun is one of the most prolific firearms used by the US military, having seen use during the Second World War,…

Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt’s Famed Revolver Was Stolen and Returned – Twice!

Todd Neikirk
Theodore Roosevelt holding up his hat + Colt M1892 revolver on a purple sheet

There has never been a US President quite like Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, and there’s unlikely to be another ever again. Born frail and weak, Roosevelt…